The Word That Could Not Be Said
by Determined Artist
Summary: Norway and Iceland are on the run. With no other option Norway sacrifices himself to save his brother's life and freedom. Now with his brother gone, what is he going to do now?


**Author's Note:** Cleaning out my scrapped stories pile that I had years-ago, I found this Idea. So deiced to post it with being tweaked quiet a few times.

Let's hope this would do good? This fic my longest one-shot yet. This is going to interesting.

* * *

Crunch, crunch, crunch, two nations dashed through the snow covered forest, clothes torn and painting rapid. Their pursuers close behind. Just then, one nation heard something collapse behind him. He turn to see the other laying on the snow.

"BROTHER!" The man, who was standing shouted. He could see as clear the vast blue sky their enemies were a meter away. No time to think, no time to waste, he rushed back, behind his fallen brother.

"NORWAY!" He heard brother blurted-out as he plucked serval strains of hair and called out some old-Norse words to the heavens. Soon a long wall of thick ice blocked the nations and their pursers, separating them. The Norwegian nation stood there painting. He then peered back.

"Are you... okay?"

The other nation nodded. "Yeah."

"Good..." At that moment, Norway cringed before almost falling, but saved when his brother stood up caught.

"Norway?"

"I 'am... okay little brother... We should... hurry? It won't take them... long to their... way around."

"Right." The other nation soon helped his brother and found a small hidden cavern. It seemed like a good place to hide and rest. After Norway gained back a bit of his strength, he took watch.

"It looks like we'll be safe." He said. He took look at his brother. Iceland held his knees to his chest, shivering. What concerned the Norwegian the most was the Icelandic's drained eyes that he hid. "Hey..." Norway reassured as placed a hand on his little brother's shoulder. "Everything will be alight."

"No it won't." Iceland said in a miserable tone. "We'll get capture and brought back to that prison camp."

"I won't let that happen to you. I'll sacrifice myself-."

"Stop it! Why must you always protect me? I 'am not a little kid anymore."

"That's my job as an older brother."

"Hphm..." After round of silence passed-bye. "Hey?" Iceland spoke sending his brother into a slight bemused expression. "Why couldn't you use your powers to stop them? It's oblivious that you have a lot of power." The Norwegian nation gave a faint smile before it switched back to his stoic one.

"I could, but it'll take a lot more then strains of hair to stop a group that big, brother." The younger nation stayed silent after that. A while later the two brothers swapped places. Norway got a bit of sleep, despite his worries. It didn't take too long before Iceland woke him up. Soon Norway was on guard while his brother slept. The Norwegian nation watched on. His were focus like hawk searching for his meal.

Though, he would rather avoid sacrificing himself, his would do it if it means his brother would be free. He turn back too see the Icelandic nation fast asleep aside from a few choughs. The smile reappeared. Iceland started to get a little a bit of a cold and even though he fussed and said that he was alright, Norway knew that if he had stayed in that place any more long then his condition would continue to deteriorate.

Their only hope now was to get to Denmark's camp before things get much worse. As much as Norway heated the Dane, he would take him over his enemies any day. _Sweet dreams brother._ He though as turned back.

After a while, he was about ready to switch places again when he spotted the enemy in the distance. They were close, too close from them to run away. There's no other options, no way for both them to escape. He pulled a few more hair and chanted some more, some different Norse langue. The hairs turned into bracelet. He then placed on his brother's wrist without waking him. He walked out, taking one last look his sibling.

 _Sorry brother, you would have to find Denmark without me_.

He strolled on.

 _Bother!_

His head hung low.

 _Brother don't leave? Brother!_

Tears formed, falling one by one from his face. He tried keep them away, but couldn't. He wanted his brother too call him 'brother' like did years ago. That was one wish wanted to be granted, even now, however it looks like he would never get that chance.

As he gotten a good size distanced away. Far enough that his brother wouldn't get caught up in what he was about to do. He called out an incantation the sounded venomous. Soon the whole area was engulfed in a blizzard. _Be safe brother?_

* * *

The next morning, Iceland woke up to the sunlight shining a ray on his face. The Icelandic nation gotten up, but just as he did, he noticed something Amiss.

 _Norway?_ He thought. He looked around, but saw no trace of him. He didn't? The Icelandic nation dashed out. After stopping to get a few choughs out, he found the answered to his questions. His eyes widen. his face sunken. "NORWAY?!" He called out to an ice statue of his brother in front of ice statues of their pursuers. "NORWAY?!" After thrown into another small coughing fit, he rushed towards the frozen Norwegian nation. "BROTHER?!"

As he gotten closer, he notice that his brother and the other statues were see-through. Iceland gotten in front of the older nation. His eyes widen again. The statue wore the same clothing, hair pins, everything that his brother had. He was certain that was the one true Norway. "Brother?" Iceland fall to his knees. His body trembled as droplets of tears fall to the snow. "Why?! Why?! Damn it! Why did you do something so stupid?!..." At that moment, more tears run down the younger nation's face.

He gotten up and hugged the frozen nation. "Big... brother." he sniffled. After what felt like entirety, Iceland left, resting the urge to look back.

 _Good-bye big brother._

He had to keep going, he had to, so that his brother's sacrifice would not be for nothing.

Never in his life did he think he would miss his brother like he did, nothing that would make him feel like a little boy again, yet there he was, feeling all of those things and more. It was not right, it was not fair, yet that's the way it's got to be and knew that all too well, from being more than a thousand years-old. He swore that he was make his enemies pay for what they did, once he gets better. Despite, what he might have before, he would the Norwegian nation 'big brother' to the heavens with giant stereo system with the sound cranked-up to maxim volume, if that means he would get his brother back.

Just then, Iceland gotten in more of coughing fit that deepen each time he chough. _Can't give up? He command himself. Must keep going for... big brother._ Though try as he might, his body won the battle and he collapsed on to the snow. It was this moment that he found himself too tried to do any and as he feel asleep, he thought to himself.

 _Sorry big brother. I gave it, my all. It looks like I'll be joining you shortly. Forgive me?_ He soon closed his eyes let hind drift off into dark bliss.

* * *

When he woken up, he found himself in Denmark's camp. It turns out that the one of Dane's men found him and brought him to there. He had been stricken with such high fever, he had been asleep for three days.

Once Denmark found out that the Icelandic nation woke up, he was overcome with joy that he dashed in and hugged the younger nation tight, too much of Iceland's annoyance and pain. It didn't long after the Danish nation to ask his fellow Nordic where his brother was. With a heavy heart, Iceland told him.

At first the Dane played it up as a joke, however after a moment of silence Denmark caught on that Iceland wasn't joking, that he was dead serious. The Danish man soon gave his typical friendly smile as he placed on the younger nation's shoulder. "I'll be your big brother."

"What?!"

"No thanks are necessary." Iceland growled.

He said no, but the Danish man insist upon it and told that if he ever he need a brotherly support to give a call. He knew Denmark meant it and he appreciate the kind gesture, yet given the Dane's track record of getting free drink out of people, he much rather take his chances with another nation.

* * *

Weeks later their enemies were defeated too much of the Icelandic nation's happiness, Iceland took up the responsibilities of both his brother's and his job. Tough, but this is what his brother would wanted. He did have help at times, which he was grateful for. The complaint he would give the most was that the Dane's help wasn't the best. He discovered the bracelet on his wrist. Though Iceland didn't know, how he came into possession of it nor why, figuring that his brother gave it to him, he couldn't take it off. Norway must had some reason, point in giving him it.

After a while allowing him to think straight, the Icelandic nation soon sought out the other two nations that knew magic, England and Romania. Maybe, they would know of a way to bring to Norway back? However, when he did, they told him that there was nothing they could. The Norwegian nation knew the risks and took it. Iceland's hope were swept away. No hope, nothing could be done.

Just then, England walked in front of him and said "Perhaps you should go back there, you might find something special there?"

Despite the questions he had and asked that the magic users wouldn't give, saying that he'll find out for himself, he went back to that place.

Once he got there, the nation noticed that the sculpture were melted, not surprising. But just then a something pulled his arm. Maybe magic, whatever it was it seemed to guide him away. Not sure what else to do, he gave in. He soon found himself being dragged to the cave. There his widen at the sight of small child, sleeping peacefully. The child look just like his brother right down the hairclips he wore.

A new, fresh list questions started to pop-up. Who was this kid? Why here all alone? Was he waiting for someone? If so, why hadn't they came back yet? Could he be a nation? Why did look just like Norway?

All of the sudden, the young one stirred. As he gotten up, Iceland soon asked "Are you alright? Do you need anything? Where are you parents?" The child stared at him for a bit with the same typical dead-pan expression that his brother use to give.

"Are you my brother?" The kid spoke in a monotone voice. Everything about that kid reminded him of Norway,

"Huh?"

"I've been waiting for my brother for a while now."

"What does your brother look like? Do you know his name?" The Icelandic nation questioned in gentle and calm tone.

"I only remember his name, Iceland." His eyes widen at the words of the youngling uttered.

"Norway?" He blurted out. At that moment, the child's eyes widen too, but only just slightly and Iceland could see a faint glimmer in them.

"You know my name? You must be, Iceland? You must be my brother?" The Icelandic nation didn't how to response. He could not believe that this kid was his brother, reborn.

"Yeah; I missed you, brother." He said, holding his arms out. A small smile appeared on the kid's face before walked over and hugged the older man and he too hugged the younger one back. As they were enjoying the moment, the child spoke up.

"Brother?"

"Huh?"

"I remember something else. I 'am sorry and that I love you."

"I love you too, brother. Iceland said with a soft smile.


End file.
